Hurry Home
by Kyra5972
Summary: He doesn’t care what she’s done or where she’s been, he just wants her to come home.


**Title:** Hurry Home

**Author:** Kyra

**Disclaimer:** I don't own them; if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. Song is 'Hurry Home' by Jason Michael Carroll.

**Summary:** He doesn't care what she's done or where she's been, he just wants her to come home.

**Pairings:** None

**Spoilers:** BtVS – Post-Chosen. House – Um, end of S4, I think. He has his new team.

**Warnings:** None that I can think of.

**A/N:** I love this song and when I heard it, I kept wanting to write a fic for it. I hope you like it!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What?" The greeting was short, abrupt, and annoyed, but that was to be expected when someone was rude enough to call him at, he glanced at the clock on his bedside table, three in the morning.

"Greg, is she with you? If she is, tell her she needs to get her ass back here now."

Gregory House looked confused for a moment until his sleepy mind managed to place the voice. "Sasha?" he asked, though he knew that's who it was. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Faith," Sasha replied, his old fling sounding annoyed and angry, "she isn't here. I haven't seen her since yesterday morning. You tell her to get her ass back here, Greg. I'm tired of getting calls from her school every time she skips. I can't have her just disappearing to visit you whenever she feels like it, Greg! Especially when she has school; if she keeps skipping, those damn social services people will start sniffing around here again and I don't want to deal with that."

Suddenly, House was very much awake. "What the hell do you mean, she's not there?" he demanded, worry clear in his voice. "And why are you just now looking for her?"

"I mean, she's not here, Greg," Sasha replied. "Her school called yesterday, she skipped again. I figured she was just with a friend or something, then she wasn't here when I got home and some of her stuff is gone so I figured she went to see you."

"Oh, so you waited until now to look for her because you were too busy screwing your latest 'boyfriend' to worry about where our daughter was," House spat out scathingly. "Well, she's not here, Sasha. But if she does show up, I'm sure as hell not sending her back to you."

"What do you mean?" Sasha screeched. "You can't keep her, Greg! She's my daughter, you're just the sperm-donor."

"That's your opinion, Sasha. The only reason you ever got custody of her after you took off was because of my hours at the hospital," House replied. "She's old enough now that she can be left at home by herself while I work, I'm sure it won't take much for me to get custody. Especially since Faith prefers to be here rather than in Boston. Well, and the fact that you're screwing a different guy every week and you have a couple habits that social services wouldn't approve of."

"How dare you!"

"Goodbye, Sasha," House stated firmly before hanging up the phone. He sat there for a moment, simply gazing at the picture on his bedside table of him with his arms around a small brunette girl, his daughter, his Faith.

Sighing softly, House picked his phone back up and quickly dialed his boss, Lisa Cuddy, one of the few people who knew Faith existed and was the center of his universe. Five minutes later, after explaining that Faith was missing and that Sasha had no idea where she might be, Cuddy had agreed to give House a week off, just in case Faith showed up.

A week later, his time off was up and he still hadn't heard anything from Faith, despite having pretty much sat next to the phone all week. Sighing to himself, House made his way over to his answering machine, intent on changing the message to something that would let Faith know he was worried and that he wanted her to come home.

As he reached for the machine, he noticed his guitar out of the corner of his eye and smiled softly as he remembered how much Faith loved to sit and listen to him play, his daughter normally joining in and singing along.

Reaching over, he picked up the guitar and made himself comfortable next to the answering machine. He strummed a few notes to make sure the guitar was in tune before leaning over to press the button that would let him record a new message. He played a couple bars before starting to sing softly.

"_It doesn't matter what you've done, I still love you  
__It doesn't matter where you've been, you can still come home  
__And, Honey, if it's you  
__We've got a lot of making up to do  
__And I can't hug you on the phone  
__So hurry home_"

He let the sound fade from the guitar before reaching over and turning off the recording. Putting the guitar back, he limped his way to the door. He didn't want to leave, but he was already late for work as it was.

His day went by in a blur and House was relieved when he finally hobbled back through his door that night after his shift. He glanced over at the machine and hurried his pace as he saw the blinking light that indicated he had a new message waiting for him.

Pushing the button to play the message, he deflated as he recognized the voice of his best friend and the only other person besides Cuddy who really knew about Faith, James Wilson. Wilson had been out of town for the past week and a half at an oncology seminar and wouldn't be back for a few days yet, but Cuddy must have called him or something. House listened quietly as his friend's voice came out of the small speakers.

"House, hey, I just heard about Faith. I'm so sorry. I hope you find her. If I see her I'll let her know you're worried and that you love her and want her to come home. If you need anything, you know I'm here for you."

House erased the message as it finished playing and sighed as he headed back towards his room for a shower and some sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The days turned to weeks, the weeks to months, and the months to years and soon two and a half years had gone by, but still House didn't hear anything from his missing daughter. He never stopped looking and never changed the message on the machine.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do you think it's about Stacy?"

Wilson paused outside the door to House's office as Cameron's voice drifted out into the hall. Curious, he stuck his head into the room to see Cameron, Chase and Foreman sitting at the conference table, the phone sitting in front of them.

"Maybe," Foreman replied, "I mean, who else could it be about?"

"Could what be about?" Wilson asked as he stepped fully into the room, making the others jump in surprise.

"The message on House's machine," Chase answered. "We had to call him about the patient, but he didn't answer and the machine picked up. We were just wondering who the message was about."

Wilson's face softened with understanding as he realized what they were talking about before a protective gleam entered his eyes. "Whatever you do," he said fiercely, "do _not_ mention that message to House."

"Is it about Stacy?" Cameron asked, wondering why they couldn't question House about it.

Wilson just shook his head. "No, it's not for Stacy," he replied. "And let's just leave it at that. And like I said, don't say anything to House about the message."

Wilson stared at House's team until they had all nodded their agreement before nodding once and turning to leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Another year went by without a word from Faith.

Cuddy stopped House in the lobby as he hobbled in to the hospital one day, obviously hung over.

"House."

House glanced at Cuddy for a moment before continuing on his way to the elevators. A moment later, he stepped inside as the doors opened, sighing softly when Cuddy followed right behind him.

Cuddy stared at House for a moment, scrutinizing her employee and friend. "You're hung over," she stated.

House slowly shook his head. "Actually, I think I might still be drunk," he replied as he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Damn it, House," Cuddy started, but was cut off by House's quiet voice.

"Yesterday was her birthday," he said softly, opening his eyes just long enough to make eye contact with Cuddy before closing them once more.

Cuddy's eyes widened with realization and she quickly reached out and pressed the button to stop the elevator.

"Did you have to do that?" House asked. "I just want to get to my office, close the blinds, lock the door and pass out again. You're not helping."

"Oh, House," Cuddy said softly, "I know you miss her, but well, don't you think that maybe it might be time to change the message on your machine? It doesn't look like she's going to be calling or coming back, and that message only serves to remind you that she's gone and make you even more depressed than you already are."

House opened his eyes and shook his head once more. "No. You never know when she might call," he replied. "I won't give up on her."

Cuddy just nodded slowly and restarted the elevator while House closed his eyes once more and the ride to House's floor was finished in silence.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Another two years went by slowly with the same message still on House's machine but no word from his missing daughter.

House slowly limped into his office, ignoring his team of six months. Thirteen, Kutner, and Taub were no Cameron, Chase and Foreman, but he supposed they would have to do. At least he still had Foreman around, not that he would admit to anyone that he liked having the neurologist around.

Sparing his team a short glance, he noticed absently that Foreman wasn't there and mentally shrugged before heading for the whiteboard in the corner to go over the current case yet again. He was halfway across the room when Taub spoke up.

"So, that's an interesting message you have on your machine," the plastic surgeon said, his voice curious and slightly amused with just a hint of mocking to it as well.

House froze in place and a cold, blank look settled over his features as he turned to look at his team.

A small gasp was heard from the doorway to the office where Cuddy and Wilson had just stepped into the room.

Thirteen turned to see Cuddy standing there with a hand over her mouth and Wilson's eyes blazing with anger.

Taub opened his mouth to say something else to House, a slight smirk on his face, only to be cut off by Wilson's icy voice.

"Don't. Just…don't," Wilson stated firmly, his jaw clenched in anger and his eyes shooting daggers at Taub.

Cuddy and Wilson both turned to look at House, Wilson's anger smoothing away to worry as he looked at his friend.

House just shook his head and silently turned to walk into his personal office, closing the door behind him and shutting the blinds.

As the light switched off in House's office, Cuddy turned to House's team, a scowl on her face. "Never, and I mean _never_, mention that message to House _ever_ again," she hissed angrily. "It's something that you know absolutely _nothing_ about. If I hear any of you say anything about it to him, I'll fire you myself."

Cuddy quickly spun on her heel and stalked out of the room and, after shooting one last glare at Taub, Wilson followed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Faith sighed, dragging a hand through her hair as she leaned against the outside of the bar in New York City. It had been a year and a half since Sunnydale became a sinkhole. After a couple months in L.A. to recuperate, the Scoobies and the new Slayers that had been in Sunnydale had gone their separate ways to look for new Slayers and set up bases around the world. For the past year, Faith had lived in New York City with Robin; the two of them were in charge of the Slayers and Watchers that were stationed in the city. But that would be changing as soon as Vi arrived the next day to relieve Faith.

Faith and Robin had been dating ever since Sunnydale, and Faith was finally happy. And she'd thought Robin was too. Apparently she had been wrong since he had dumped her two days ago, saying that she was fun but really not what he wanted. So Faith had called Giles in England and told him to send someone to replace her, that she was leaving and would let him know where she was going when she got there since she wasn't really sure where she was going.

Faith took out her cell phone and punched in a number she knew by heart, even if she hadn't used it in over eight years. She stood there staring down at the cell phone in her hand, trying to decide whether or not to hit the send button. She knew where she wanted to go, but she wasn't really sure she'd be welcome. Faith closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she steeled herself and hit send, lifting the phone to her ear. She listened to it ring and was just about to give up and hung up when the answering machine picked up. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she listened to her dad singing to her over the machine and she bit her lip to keep them from falling. After the messaged ended, Faith left a short and simple message before flipping her phone closed.

"Dad, I'm on my way."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

House tiredly walked into his apartment just as the message on his machine finished. There was a couple seconds of silence where he thought the caller had hung up, but then her voice drifted into the room and he limped across the room as fast as he could. He wasn't quite fast enough and picked up the phone just in time to hear the click as she hung up.

Sighing, House hung the phone back up. He played her message back and smiled to himself as he listened to her voice.

"_Dad, I'm on my way_."

It had been almost seven years, but his baby girl was finally coming home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, House walked into his office with a huge smile on his face and saw Cuddy and Wilson both in the room talking to his team.

Foreman looked up at House as he walked in and noticed the smile on his boss's face. "How much vicodin have you had this morning?" he asked, wondering just how many of the painkillers House had to have taken to look so genuinely happy.

"None," House replied, smile still in place.

Everyone stared at House in shock and Thirteen opened her mouth to say something else but House just turned to look at Cuddy and Wilson, the smile on his face getting impossibly bigger.

"She called," he said. "She's on her way."

Wilson and Cuddy both looked surprised for a moment before the surprise melted into happiness.

"When will she be here?" Wilson asked as House's team looked on in confusion, wondering what the three doctors were talking about.

House shrugged. "I don't know," he replied, "I didn't make it to the phone in time, but she said she's on her way."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next few days went by and House's excitement was making his team - and most of the rest of the hospital as well – nervous. It was making everyone rather curious as well; everyone wondering just what could make House so happy. In fact, his old team had taken to hanging out in his office with his current team in an effort to find out what was going on.

Finally, after three days of a happy House, the door to the diagnostics department opened and Chase looked up to see a beautiful brunette in a pair of jeans and a black tank top step into the room.

"Can we help you?" he asked.

House turned around from where he was studying the whiteboard at the sound of the Aussie's voice. When his eyes landed on the brunette standing just inside the door, he froze in place for a moment before a wide smile crossed his face.

"Faith…" he breathed.

Faith smiled back at him slightly. "Hi, Dad."

Six jaws simultaneously dropped as Chase, Cameron, Foreman, Thirteen, Kutner and Taub watched the interaction between the two.

Faith looked down at the floor and bit her lip nervously before looking back up at House, a slightly vulnerable look in her eyes. "So, um, about that hug…" she said, trailing off uncertainly.

House simply blinked at her for a second before grinning and crossing the room to wrap his arms around Faith. He buried his face in her hair and held her tightly, almost as though he were afraid that she would disappear again if he didn't.

"God, I missed you," he whispered to her.

Faith swallowed thickly and closed her eyes as she hugged him back, reveling in the feeling of safety being held by her dad had always given her.

"I missed you too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_He's been sitting by the phone since she left  
__But it's time for work and he just can't be late  
__So he grabs his old guitar  
__And he plays a couple bars on the machine  
__Then he softly sings_

_It doesn't matter what you've done, I still love you  
__It doesn't matter where you've been, you can still come home  
__And, Honey, if it's you  
__We've got a lot of making up to do  
__And I can't hug you on the phone  
__So hurry home_

_Well, the message light was blinking when he got back  
__It was an old friend calling 'cause he just heard the news  
__He said man I hope you find her  
__If I see her I'll remind her that her dad is worried  
__And wanting her to know_

_It doesn't matter what you've done, I still love you  
__It doesn't matter where you've been, you can still come home  
__And, Honey, if it's you  
__We've got a lot of making up to do  
__And I can't hug you on the phone  
__So hurry home_

_Well, the days dragged by without a word from her  
__And it looked like she might not be coming back  
__People said man don't you think it's time to take that old message off  
__He said no, you never know when she might call_

_Well, she was just outside a bar in New York City  
__Her so-called friends had left her all alone  
__She was scared he wouldn't want her  
__But she dialed up that old number and let it ring  
__And then she heard him sing_

_It doesn't matter what you've done, I still love you  
__It doesn't matter where you've been, you can still come home  
__And, Honey, if it's you  
__We've got a lot of making up to do  
__And I can't hug you on the phone  
__So hurry home_

_He walked in just in time to hear her say  
__Dad, I'm on my way_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Well? What did you think? I hope you all liked it!**

**~ Kyra**


End file.
